As Disney leans further into the streaming world, it’s doing away with a popular service that allowed its biggest fans to own some of its most obscure films.
The Disney Movie Club is shutting down, according to a message on the club’s homepage. Patrons, though, will have a couple more months to fill in gaps in their DVD and Blu-Ray collections. Final orders will be taken on May 20.
“After 23 magical years, it’s time to say goodbye,” the site reads. “After serving over 10 million valued Club Members, we have made the difficult decision to close the Disney Movie Club. We will miss the opportunity to be part of the lives of so many Disney fans, including yours.”
The Disney Movie Club was more than just a way for Disney fans to get the latest releases (as well as extras like collectible pins), it afforded them the opportunity to own physical copies of more rare titles that most people have forgotten, such as The Littlest Horse Thief and The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes.
The move comes as physical media is seeing an upswing in popularity (if not sales at the moment). While streaming services offer a huge catalog of films and television shows to subscribers, the companies that control those add and remove content regularly, meaning a film you want to see might not always be available.
The decision to shutter the Disney Movie Club comes as Disney has struck a deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment to transfer the manufacturing, distribution and marketing of Disney DVDs and Blu-Rays. Disney, generally, is looking to cut costs. CEO Bob Iger has vowed to reduce expenses at the company by at least $8 billion, a move that has already resulted in thousands of job cuts.
